Severus Snape The HalfBlood Prince
by Mockingfire
Summary: Severus snape was once a child. This is his story.


**Chapter 1**

In the smallest room, in the last house of Spinners End Row, sat a boy. He had black hair, which fell in a curtain about his face, framing his long, hooked nose -inherited from his father, and his mother's dark eyes.

The boy studied the bird perched upon his window sill; a large tawny owl, with an envelope attached to its left leg. The bird locked his gaze with its own dark, glassy eyed stare.

Slowly, without losing eye contact with the feathered messenger, the boy stretched out a pale hand to detach the letter, and only when he had it firmly within his grasp, did the bird release his gaze.

**Severus Tobias Snape**

**13 Spinners End Row**

**Cokeworth**

The owl's eyes narrowed at him as he read over the address, as if challenging him to have the audacity to toss the envelope aside, however this was not registered by Severus who excitedly, but carefully, broke the seal, fished out the documents within and inclined his head over the paper to read.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY **

_**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**_

_**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand sorc., Chf. Warlock, **_

_**Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**_

_**Dear Mr Snape,**_

_**We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at**_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find **_

_**enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**_

_**Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later**_

_**than 31 July.**_

_**Yours sincerely **_

_**Minerva McGonagall**_

_**Deputy Headmistress**_

A rare expression of joy etched itself upon Severus' face for a moment then fell when he saw the long list of required items. The majority of the books and potions equipment could most likely be scrounged from his mother's work room and he was sure that there was a battered telescope packed away somewhere, but there was still a question of uniform and more importantly, a wand.

He sat puzzling over the dilemma. Asking 'Him' was not an option, not even as a last resort; He despised magic and would be more likely to willingly give a million pounds away to charity, than a single penny towards any cause allied with his mother's world. (Not that he ever had more than a few pounds at one time).

As for asking his mother, he couldn't bring himself to bother her, he didn't want to spoil the rare times he had with his mother when she wasn't working and she had enough on her mind anyway.

Placing the papers on the bed, Severus crouched down. He sought around on the floor until his fingers found the small groove, which indicated the spelled wood panel.

He rapped his knuckles thrice on the wood and presently, the floorboard and those immediately to the left and right of it, slid back, revealing a space around a foot in both height and diameter.

From the compartment, he brought out a small glass jar containing a handful of coins.

5 Galleons, 11 Sickles and 2 Knuts in total. Nearly enough money to purchase a wand, counting on his fingers, he decided that that, added to the money he made selling his mothers remedies (along with a few of his own concoctions) each week in Knock turn Alley, then he should be able to collect enough money for robes-second hand of course. It would mean having to postpone buying the new pair of shoes he'd been saving for, but if that's what it took to get to _Hogwarts_, then he would gladly wear his current pair a while longer. He made a mental not to 'borrow' his mothers wand and place another sticking charm on the soles. Doing it himself meant the spell would hold for only a few weeks at most, but if his mother saw them she would fret about not having the money to buy him new ones, and she worked so hard all the time, that he couldn't bring himself to add to her burden, especially as he saw so little of her.

Content that his plan was (probably) achievable; Severus glanced up at the now impatient owl, and then reached back into the floorboards. This time he extracted a piece of yellowing parchment and an eagle feather quill; Curved slightly from being passed down through the generations, a small ornate letter 'P' engraved near the nib to represent his mother's family, though the original gold inlay had been nearly completely worn away, making it barely visible.

Taking the paper and pen in hand, he scrawled a quick reply, saying that he would be attending school September 1st, this, he then rolled up and tied securely to the owls leg, which stretched its wings as soon as the note was attached, and took flight.

Severus craned his neck, watching until the bird was no longer distinguishable against the cloud dappled sky.

After another glance over the letter, he folded it back up, and then placed it along with the quill back inside the hole. Knocking on the wood twice, the floorboards slid back into place hidden from view incase 'He' decided to go snooping.

Satisfied that all magical evidence was eradicated from sight, he grabbed the worn, overlarge coat hanging on his bedroom door handle.

Severus trudged down the stairs finding peace in the silence inside the house. He looked briefly at the clock on the wall; he had a few hours before he had to be back. So he hurried out the front door, only just remembering to shut it behind him.

Severus walked along the litter strewn path, the gaping soles of his shoes flicking gravel and dust with each step, threatening to trip his up. As the playground came into view, he quickened his pace. He could see her now, her dark, red hair being tugged in breeze. She saw him as he was crossing the old bridge. She leapt from the swing; landing far softer than a muggle ever could.

'Happy Birthday Sev!' she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. He smiled. Being around Lily always brought a smile to his face.

When she stepped back, she asked nervously.

'So, did you get it?'

Severus looked seriously at her and nodded gravely, then broke out into a grin.

'Yes, by owl no less. I'm glad 'He' had already left when it arrived. That would not have gone down well.'

Lily giggled at the thought. She had never met his Father, and he planned to keep it that way, but she had heard enough about him to understand his antipathy towards anything witchcraft related.

A crease formed on lily's forehead.

'What's the matter?' Severus asked her.

'You don't think...I mean, what if don't...?' she trailed off.

'Get a letter?' he asked incredulously.

'Lily Evans. There is no way, you would be missed out.' Seeing her unconvinced expression, he continued

'I mean it. You have a lot of magical potential, there is no way they couldn't notice you. Plus, the last thing they'd want is to leave you untrained; muggles would be bound to notice. I promise you, come the 30th you'll get your letter.

Lily's jade green eyes sparkled when she smiled at him.

'Thanks Sev. I don't know what I'd do without you.'

_Neither do I. _Severus thought. Before the day he had met Lily Evans, hadn't dreamed never mind believed, that he could find someone that special, who would actually _want _to spend time with him, never mind be his friend. But after nearly two years, she was still there, despite the teasing she got and the disapproval of her older sister. Even after so long, he doubted it. Not her, he didn't doubt her in the slightest. He doubted his own happiness. Every day he expected her to not turn up, to say he didn't want to be around him anymore. Then he would be alone.

Good things just didn't happen to Severus Snape. The only question was not, 'Will it last?', but 'When will it end?'

'Sev?' lily asked him, dragging him away from those thoughts. He shook his head slightly to clear his head.

'I'm fine' which seemed to satisfy her.

'Good. Oh, I almost forgot.' She bent over, unzipping her backpack. When she stood back up, she was holding an oddly shaped parcel, wrapped (not very well) in green paper and clumsily tied with a silver bow.

'There you go.' She said, handing him the package. 'Happy birthday.'

'For me?' He asked in surprise, he never got presents his mother always gave him something small, whatever she could afford; a pair of socks or something similar and not wrapped because she couldn't afford the paper.

'Of course it's for you. Open it.' Lily told him. Slowly, Severus pulled back the paper and froze when he saw what she had bought him. Inside the package, lay a brand new, pair of shoes, and by the look of it, they were real leather.

'Do you like them?' she asked. Concerned by his silence.

'They're amazing.' He whispered. '_You're_ amazing.' He told her giving her a hug.

They sat down together on the swings and talked, until lily's sister came to fetch her for dinner.

'Coming Tuney!' Lily called, grabbing her bag and running to the gate. She waved to back at him as she reached her sister.

'i don't know why you spend so much time with 'that boy'' Severus heard petunia say as they walked away. Severus stood and headed back towards his house.

When he arrived, he found the gate open. That meant only one thing, 'He' was home. The door was flung open just as he tucked his shoes beneath his coat.

'Where do you think you've been?' His father accused, glaring down his long, beak like nose at the boy. Severus' insides churned.

Ten minutes later, Severus closed his bedroom door and lay down on his bed. A purple bruise already blooming above his left eye. He wiped away the tears that had escaped, trying to ignore the chocking sobs that caught in his throat. Knowing that if anyone asked, he would tell them he fell. He was always 'falling over'.

Clumsy boy.


End file.
